Video: Brammeier looks forward to Vuelta debut, celebrates historic nationals win
Third consecutive national title a record; second Olympic appeal underwayHaving become on Sunday the first person ever to take three consecutive Irish elite road race championships, Matt Brammeier has confirmed that he will make his Grand Tour debut this August in the Vuelta a España. The Omega Pharma Quick Step rider has been told by the Belgian team that he will ride the Spanish Tour, and will prepare for the race by riding the Tour of Austria, and most likely the Eneco Tour. Speaking to VeloNation in a video interview carried out minutes before he received the distinctive shamrock jersey once again, got his third RR gold medal, then had that jersey soaked in champagne by bronze-medallist Philip Lavery (Node4 Giordana), Brammeier said that he felt ‘really good’ about riding the Vuelta. “I was supposed to do the Giro this year but I had a few problems before it and [...]
Brammeier grabs third successive Irish road race title in Clonmel
Roche and Lavery net silver and bronzeTiming his final attack perfectly and kicking clear with less than three kilometres to go, Omega Pharma Quick Step rider Matt Brammeier soloed to victory today in the Irish road race championship in Clonmel. The 27 year old reached the line five seconds ahead of the 2009 champion Nicolas Roche (Ag2r La Mondiale), while Philip Lavery (Node4 Giordana) finished four seconds further back and took both the bronze medal and also the under 23 title. Martyn Irvine (RTS Racing), who had also been part of the decisive four man group in the second half of the race, was distanced on the final big climb after being clear alone for almost a full lap, and finished 40 seconds back in fourth. He rode very strongly but the muscle bulk the future Olympian has built up for the omnium made the climbs a little too tough. [...]
Video: Irvine hoping for success in Irish road race championships, on course for Olympics
‘My numbers are all good’: Happy with preparation for track omniumSeveral weeks before he lines out in the omnium races at the Olympic Games, Martyn Irvine is currently competing in the Irish road race championships. Although much of his focus has been on track racing for the past two years, he’s hoping to be able to land a good result in Clonmel today. “I will be there in some shape or form,” he said after picking up silver in the time trial championships three days ago. “I am good at suffering so you never know where you can get on the day. I always look forward to it every year – it is something every Irish rider wants to do. I can’t miss it when I am in the country.” Irvine could well be a danger man if he can handle the climbs on the circuit; this year they are [...]
Video interview: Hutchinson speaks after taking Irish time trial title
Multiple CTT record holder grabs gold from Irvine and RocheMichael Hutchinson won’t take part in tomorrow’s Irish road race championships in Clonmel but the In Gear Quickvit rider has already achieved what he wanted to do this week; improve from his bronze medal of last year to win the time trial. The TT specialist beat future Irish Olympian Martyn Irvine (RTS Racing) by 35.51 seconds, with Tour de France-bound Nicolas Roche (Ag2r la Mondiale) having to be satisfied with third, 49.7 seconds back. Defending champion Matt Brammeier (Omega Pharma Quick Step) was over two minutes down in fourth. Roche came to the race after a top ten finish in the Tour de Suisse, and will next weekend line out in the Tour de France as leader of the Ag2r La Mondiale team. He was genuinely surprised not to have won, believing that his ride was a good one. Irvine is [...]
Video: Delgado expects Wiggins/Evans showdown in Tour
Says Contador is clear favourite for the Vuelta, but Schleck’s participation is boost for raceThe 1988 Tour de France winner Pedro Delgado has made his predictions for this year’s race, saying that he believes that the nature of the course as well as the results of recent events point towards two riders as being far ahead of the other contenders in terms of their chances. “It is a very strange race,” he told VeloNation in a video interview, referring to the three individual time trials, which will mean riders face over 100 kilometres against the clock. “The number one for me is Wiggins. I think that he very good in this moment. He has a good team around him, so for me he is the number one.” However while Wiggins has been the most dominant of the contenders this year, winning Paris-Nice, the Tour de Romandie and the Critérium du [...]
Video: Reinardt Janse van Rensburg reflects on successful season thus far
South African talks about the attention from World Tour teamsReinardt Janse van Rensburg has notched up an impressive twelve UCI wins this season. The previously little-known cyclist rides for South African continental team MTN-Qhubeka and recently returned home from a successful three month stint in Europe. Before leaving for cycling’s mainland he won the national individual time trial championships on March 1st. The team then took part in the Tour du Maroc, where he won four stages plus the overall classification. Six impressive victories followed in France, Holland and Belgium, namely a stage plus the overall in the Tour of Bretagne, the prologue and overall of the Ronde van Overijssel, the Circuit the Wallonie and last Saturday’s Ronde van Zeeland. Asked by VeloNation which one was the most important win for him, he pinpointed the latter, as teams like Rabobank, Vacansoleil-DCM and Farnese Vini-Selle Italia lined up with impressive fire [...]